Statistics:
- Length:
- 73 km (Laverton North to Keilor: 20 km) (Pascoe Vale South to Edithvale: 53 km)
- Termini:
- Eastern: Nepean Hwy (MR3), Edithvale
- Western: Kororoit Creek Rd (MR35), Old Geelong Rd and Leakes Rd, Laverton North
- Miscellaneous:
- Declared Names: (Western Section) Keilor-Laverton Road
- Declared Names: (Eastern Section) State (Bell / Springvale) Highway, Manningham Road, Williamsons Road, Doncaster Road, Mitcham Road and Springvale Road
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- (Western Section) Laverton North, Derrimut, Deer Park, Cairnlea, St Albans, Kings Park, Delahey, Keilor Downs and Keilor
- (Eastern Section) Pascoe Vale South, Coburg, Preston, Heidelberg West, Heidelberg, Bulleen, Templestowe Lower, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Donvale, Nunawading, Forest Hill, Vermont South, Glen Waverley, Mulgrave, Springvale, Springvale South, Dingley Village, Braeside, Waterways, Aspendale Gardens and Edithvale
Route Numbering:
- Current: 40
- Multiplexed with: 36 47 2
- Former: 11
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- Arterial 5221 (Bulleen to Doncaster)
- Arterial 5225 (Doncaster)
- Arterial 5797 (Aspendale Gardens to Edithvale)
- Arterial 5805 (Doncaster to Donvale)
- Arterial 5804 (Donvale)
- Arterial 5875 (Laverton North to Keilor)
- Arterial 5929 (Donvale to Nunawading)
- Arterial 6400 (Pascoe Vale South to Bulleen and Nunawading to Aspendale Gardens)
General Information:
Split into 2 sections, Metropolitan Route 40 is a major arterial route that cuts through several Melbourne suburbs. It's a multi-laned route for the most part and has undergone several route changes over the years. The route services commercial, residential and industrial areas and was once a ring road around Melbourne.
In 1997, plans were made to realign MR40 along the Eastern Fwy (newly extended at the time), but part way through the signage upgrade process, this was halted. 2 The route was truncated with changes to the Tullamarine Fwy (M2 (former MR43)) and Calder Fwy (M79 (former NR79)) and no longer follows those roads.
Multiplexes along the route include:
- Metropolitan Route 36, for 5 km, between Doncaster and Donvale.
- Metropolitan Route 47, for 900 m, Doncaster.
- Tourist Drive 2, for 1 km, between Heidelberg and Bulleen.
History:
- 1866: A tollhouse was built and was situated at the intersection of Doncaster Road and Williamsons Road, Doncaster. When tolls were abolished it was moved to a position behind Lauer's store at the corner of Doncaster Road and Elgar Road. 3
- 1965: Metropolitan Route 40 introduced. 2
- 1970: Construction of Tullamarine Fwy 4, replacing Lancefield Road past Essendon Airport. 2
- 1970s: MR40 duplexed along the Tullamarine Freeway. MR40 as a result, was removed from Reynard Street, Pascoe Vale Road, Bulla Road and Lancefield Road. 3
- 1972: Tullamarine Fwy connection to the then newly built Calder Fwy constructed. 2
- 1979: Tullamarine Fwy between Essendon Airport and Calder Fwy upgraded to freeway standards. 2
- 1989: A review of routes in Victoria, saw MR40 extended west of Reynolds Parade at Pascoe Vale South to terminate in Laverton North. The route was also moved from Huntingdale Road (now MR47) and extended along Springvale Road (formerly MR11). 3
- December 1997: Opening of the Eastern Fwy (M3) interchange with Springvale Rd in Donvale. 5
- October 2006: Opening of additional traffic lanes, inbound, on Tullamarine Fwy at Niddrie and Essendon North, near the interchange with the Calder Fwy. 6
- February 2007: Opening of additional traffic lanes, outbound, on Tullamarine Fwy at Niddrie and Essendon North, near the interchange with the Calder Fwy. 6
- 4 February 2009: Works to the Eastern Fwy interchange, on Springvale Rd at Donvale. These included widening of the bridge, reconfiguration of the lanes and upgrades to the traffic signals as part of the final interchange configuration for EastLink. 7
- 23 September 2009: The main section of the Springvale Road railway overpass at Nunawading completed, followed by on-going construction work to complete the entire project. 8
- 2014: Metropolitan Route 40 was truncated with changes to the Tullamarine Fwy (M2 (former MR43)) and Calder Fwy (M79 (former NR79). 2
1 VIC Government, Department of Transport and Planning Road Maintenance Category - Road List Version: 2, 29 February 2024.
2 Viseth Uch.
3 Tim Cole.
3 Australian Government, Picture Australia, 1958 Doncaster Tollhouse.
4 VIC Government, Parliament of Victoria, A Story In Time, Children of the Revolution - 1970-1979.
5 VIC Government, Department of Premier & Cabinet, Media Release, Clean Bill of Health for Air Quality Report, 2 March 2008.
6 VIC Government, Building of Victoria Magazine, Issue 6, Freeway upgrade almost complete.
7 VIC Government, Linking Melbourne Authority, Latest News, 30 January 2008.
8 VIC Government, Victorian Department of Transport, eNews, October 2009.